mind tools personal development neuro linguistic programming nlp syntactic ambiguity

Syntactic Ambiguity: Examples and Exercises

In NLP Syntactic Ambiguity is unexpected vague and does not ‘follow the rules’. Improper pauses, rambling sentences and incomplete sentences. All of which ultimately force the listener to ‘mind read’. “Hand me your watch … how quickly you go into a trance.” So, Syntactic Ambiguity is where the function (syntactic) of a word cannot be immediately determined from the immediate context. Take a transitive verb, add “ing” after it and place it before a noun.

They were milking cows”, “They are visiting relatives“, 
”Speaking to you as a child…“
. The listener will be confused by the fact that you can interpret the sentence in more than one way.

Some Examples

Especially relevant, take the following examples of Syntactic Ambiguities

  •  “They were milking cows.”. Are they Cows that provided Milk, or were they doing the activity, Milking Cows?
  • “They are visiting relatives.“. Are they the persons who visit relatives, or are they acquainted to each other and visiting?  

  • “Speaking to you as a child…“. Is the listener a child or the one who speaks?

Syntactic Ambiguities are all around us. Especially relevant, we do it on a regular basis, day by day. To exercise this part of the NLP Ambiguities, start making a list. Remember to create your own library. Consequently, write them down. Fifty or maybe if you want to be good, a hundred! Make them yours. Hence, learn to apply this in powerful hypnotic sessions with your clients.

More Information about Ambiguities

NLP Syntactic Ambiguities is part of the Indirect Elicitation Patterns Ambiguities, which is on its turn part of the Milton Model.

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About the author

Niels Ammerlaan

Licensed Master Trainer of NLP (Society of NLP) · Managing Partner, Mind Tools

Niels has trained and coached leaders, teams and individuals in Thailand and Europe for more than 30 years. He teaches the Licensed NLP Practitioner and Master Practitioner courses in Bangkok.

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